I don't know about you but I am excited about Sunday evening. I have been through one of these sessions with Frank once before and have experienced the value in such a process. Core values are important, and it is equally important to evaluate them from time to time. We so often become somewhat dull in our faith over time. That is why we should revisit, review, and recommit to our Core Values - at least once a year.
Dr. Frank Guinta will lead us through a process to rediscover our Core Values. We will gather around tables, each one with a post-it pad (so bring a pen with you), to list our own personal Core Values. Once this is done, we then will act as groups (probably two or three) to compare notes and list the Values that are common to each particular table.
Frank will then have us post our common values on the wall. Each person will have the opportunity to get up and view these values. We then will sit as a fellowship and narrow down the top 8-10 Values. A discussion will follow as to why these values are so important to us as a fellowship.
The follow-up to the evening will be to display these top 8-10 values. This will become the responsibility of the Elders' Board. They will review the values and apply the appropriate scriptures to each one. My suggestion is that they be displayed on one of the beginning pages of our Constitution. Another idea is to make book markers to pass out to everyone who attends so that they can keep these precious Core Values in front of them as they read their Bibles.
Sometime in the near distant future we will have a re dedication service to our Core Values. We will promise to uphold them to the best of our ability, the Lord being our Helper.
I truly hope that we have a great turn out on Sunday evening. When we did this exercise in New Glasgow it was during a major snow storm. We had close to fifty people show up. We are suppose to get 5-10 cm of snow on Sunday. Hopefully it won't be enough to discourage our service with Frank.
Looking forward to seeing all of you on Sunday.
God bless.
-Leo
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Finishing Up on Our Core Values
We have just three more Sundays of talking about Core Values. This Sunday's message is on integrity. My interpretation of integrity, in terms of saying yes to salvation, is to stand behind your commitment. It is to "walk the walk and talk the talk;" and to "put your money where your mouth is."
I'm not sure if every Christian, upon salvation, understands the nature of commitment. Deitrich Bonnhoeffer wrote a book many years ago entitled, "The Cost of Discipleship." In it he talks frequently about "cheap grace"; which is when a person accepts salvation purely on the terms of its benefits. They give no thought or attention to the commitment that is required. These type of Christians lack integrity, because a huge part of salvation is about commitment.
Basically, salvation has a two-fold meaning, each of equal importance to the other. Salvation means eternal life; saved from hell; "No one shall pluck you from My Father's hand," Jesus said. That's the great benefit of salvation (among many others).
But of equal importance is the commitment. Jesus said, "If you want to come after me, then deny yourself and take up your cross (sacrifice) and follow me." He also said, "Anyone who turns back after putting there hand to the plow is not worthy of the kingdom of God" (my paraphrase). The last quote is quite harsh, and the point should be well taken literally by every Christian.
Integrity is a very important core value - actually, a necessary one, not only for you as an individual; but for the church as a whole. It's not about being perfect - that's impossible to do. It is about staying the course and getting back on track even when you fall away. It's about repentance - turning away from the sins that so easily beset you. It's about holding your commitment as a top priority for your life before God.
Hopefully your commitment to Jesus is something that you take very seriously. Not simply out of a sense of duty, but out of a loving trust for God and His concern for you. God is the Creator of life, and He designed the human life to be lived a certain way - to bring honor and glory unto Him. He calls us to commitment because without it He knows that we will be completely destroyed by sin. He is the "Way" that life was intended to be in the first place.
May God find us as a church of integrity.
Blessings,
-Leo
I'm not sure if every Christian, upon salvation, understands the nature of commitment. Deitrich Bonnhoeffer wrote a book many years ago entitled, "The Cost of Discipleship." In it he talks frequently about "cheap grace"; which is when a person accepts salvation purely on the terms of its benefits. They give no thought or attention to the commitment that is required. These type of Christians lack integrity, because a huge part of salvation is about commitment.
Basically, salvation has a two-fold meaning, each of equal importance to the other. Salvation means eternal life; saved from hell; "No one shall pluck you from My Father's hand," Jesus said. That's the great benefit of salvation (among many others).
But of equal importance is the commitment. Jesus said, "If you want to come after me, then deny yourself and take up your cross (sacrifice) and follow me." He also said, "Anyone who turns back after putting there hand to the plow is not worthy of the kingdom of God" (my paraphrase). The last quote is quite harsh, and the point should be well taken literally by every Christian.
Integrity is a very important core value - actually, a necessary one, not only for you as an individual; but for the church as a whole. It's not about being perfect - that's impossible to do. It is about staying the course and getting back on track even when you fall away. It's about repentance - turning away from the sins that so easily beset you. It's about holding your commitment as a top priority for your life before God.
Hopefully your commitment to Jesus is something that you take very seriously. Not simply out of a sense of duty, but out of a loving trust for God and His concern for you. God is the Creator of life, and He designed the human life to be lived a certain way - to bring honor and glory unto Him. He calls us to commitment because without it He knows that we will be completely destroyed by sin. He is the "Way" that life was intended to be in the first place.
May God find us as a church of integrity.
Blessings,
-Leo
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